Waamuzi 21
1 Wana wa Israeli walikuwa wameapa kwa kiapo kule Mispa: “Hapana mtu yeyote atakayemwoza binti yake kwa Wabenyamini.”
Now the men of Israel had sworn an oath at Mizpah, saying, “Not one of us will give his daughter in marriage to a Benjamite.”
2 Watu wakaenda Betheli, wakaketi mbele za Mungu mpaka jioni, wakapaza sauti zao, wakalia sana.
So the people came to Bethel and sat there before God until evening, lifting up their voices and weeping bitterly.
3 Wakasema, “Ee Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kwa nini jambo hili limewapata Waisraeli? Kwa nini kabila moja la Israeli limekosekana?”
“Why, O LORD God of Israel,” they cried out, “has this happened in Israel? Today in Israel one tribe is missing!”
4 Kesho yake asubuhi na mapema watu wakajenga madhabahu na kuleta sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka za amani.
The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.
5 Ndipo Waisraeli wakasema, “Ni kabila lipi la Israeli ambalo halikufika katika mkutano kumkaribia Bwana?” Kwa kuwa walikuwa wameweka kiapo kikuu kuwa yeyote asiyefika mbele za Bwana huko Mispa, kwa hakika angeuawa.
The Israelites asked, “Who among all the tribes of Israel did not come to the assembly before the LORD?” For they had taken a solemn oath that anyone who failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah would surely be put to death.
6 Basi Waisraeli wakaghairi kwa ajili ya ndugu zao Wabenyamini, wakasema, “Leo kabila moja limekatiliwa mbali na Israeli.
And the Israelites grieved for their brothers, the Benjamites, and said, “Today a tribe is cut off from Israel.
7 Sasa tutawezaje kuwapa mabinti zetu wawe wake zao kwa hao waliobaki maadamu tumeapa kwa Bwana kuwa hatutawapa binti zetu kuwa wake zao?”
What should we do about wives for the survivors, since we have sworn by the LORD not to give them our daughters in marriage?”
8 Ndipo wakasema, “Ni kabila lipi la Israeli ambalo halikufika mbele za Bwana huko Mispa?” Wakagundua kuwa hakuna hata mmoja aliyetoka Yabeshi-Gileadi aliyefika kambini kwa ajili ya kusanyiko la mkutano.
So they asked, “Which one of the tribes of Israel failed to come up before the LORD at Mizpah?” And, in fact, no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp for the assembly.
9 Walipohesabu waliona hakuna mtu yeyote wa Yabeshi-Gileadi aliyekuwepo.
For when the people were counted, none of the residents of Jabesh-gilead were there.
10 Ndipo mkutano wakatuma askari 12,000 na wakawaamuru kwenda Yabeshi-Gileadi na kuwaua wale wote waishio huko, walikuwepo wake na watoto.
So the congregation sent 12,000 of their most valiant men and commanded them: “Go and put to the sword those living in Jabesh-gilead, including women and children.
11 Wakasema, “Hilo ndilo mtakalofanya. Ueni kila mtu mume na mke ambaye si bikira.”
This is what you are to do: Devote to destruction every male, as well as every female who has had relations with a man.”
12 Wakakuta kati ya watu walioishi Yabeshi-Gileadi wanawali mia nne ambao hawajakutana kimwili na mwanaume, nao wakawachukua kwenye kambi huko Shilo katika nchi ya Kanaani.
So they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young women who had not had relations with a man, and they brought them to the camp at Shiloh in the land of Canaan.
13 Ndipo mkutano ukatuma ujumbe wa amani kwa Wabenyamini huko katika mwamba wa Rimoni.
Then the whole congregation sent a message of peace to the Benjamites who were at the rock of Rimmon.
14 Basi Wabenyamini wakarudi nyumbani mwao, wakapewa wale wanawali wa Yabeshi-Gileadi waliowaponya. Lakini hawakuwatosha wanaume wote.
And at that time the Benjamites returned and were given the women who were spared from Jabesh-gilead. But there were not enough women for all of them.
15 Waisraeli wakasikitika kwa ajili ya Wabenyamini, kwa kuwa Bwana ameweka ufa katika makabila ya Israeli.
The people grieved for Benjamin, because the LORD had made a void in the tribes of Israel.
16 Viongozi wa kusanyiko wakasema, “Kwa kuwa wanawake wa Wabenyamini wameangamizwa, tufanyeje ili kuwapatia wake wale wanaume waliosalia?
Then the elders of the congregation said, “What should we do about wives for those who remain, since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?”
17 Wale waliopona wa Wabenyamini ni lazima tuwape wake, ili wawe na warithi, ili kabila lolote katika Israeli lisifutike.
They added, “There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, so that a tribe of Israel will not be wiped out.
18 Hatuwezi kuwapa binti zetu kuwa wake, kwa kuwa sisi Waisraeli tumeapa kiapo hiki: ‘Alaaniwe mtu yeyote ampaye Mbenyamini mke.’”
But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”
19 Ndipo waliposema, “Tazama iko sikukuu ya kila mwaka ya Bwana katika Shilo, kaskazini ya Betheli na mashariki mwa ile barabara itokayo Betheli kwenda Shekemu, upande wa kusini wa Lebona.”
“But look,” they said, “there is a yearly feast to the LORD in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel east of the road that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
20 Hivyo wakawaelekeza Wabenyamini wakisema, “Nendeni mkajifiche kwenye mashamba ya mizabibu,
So they commanded the Benjamites: “Go, hide in the vineyards
21 nanyi mwangalie. Wasichana wa Shilo watakapojiunga kwenye kucheza, ninyi tokeni kwenye hayo mashamba ya mizabibu na kila mmoja akamate mwanamke mmoja toka miongoni mwa hao wasichana wa Shilo na mwende nao katika nchi ya Benyamini.
and watch. When you see the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, each of you is to come out of the vineyards, catch for himself a wife from the daughters of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin.
22 Baba zao au ndugu zao waume watakapotulalamikia, tutawaambia, ‘Kuweni wakarimu kwetu, nanyi mturuhusu tuwe nao kwa kuwa hatukuweza kumpa kila mtu mke tulipopigana. Lakini ninyi pia hamna hatia, kwa kuwa hamkuwapa wao binti zenu kuwa wake.’”
When their fathers or brothers come to us to complain, we will tell them, ‘Do us a favor by helping them, since we did not get wives for each of them in the war. Since you did not actually give them your daughters, you have no guilt.’”
23 Basi hivyo ndivyo Wabenyamini walivyofanya. Wakati wasichana walipokuwa wakicheza, kila mtu akamkamata msichana mmoja akamchukua akaenda naye ili awe mke wake. Kisha wakarudi katika urithi wao na kuijenga upya miji na kuishi humo.
The Benjamites did as instructed and carried away the number of women they needed from the dancers they caught. They went back to their own inheritance, rebuilt their cities, and settled in them.
24 Wakati huo Waisraeli wakaondoka sehemu ile na kwenda nyumbani kwao, kwenye makabila yao na kwa jamaa zao, kila mmoja kwenye urithi wake mwenyewe.
And at that time, each of the Israelites returned from there to his own tribe and clan, each to his own inheritance.
25 Katika siku hizo kulikuwa hakuna mfalme katika Israeli; kila mtu alifanya kile alichoona ni sawa machoni pake mwenyewe.
In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
